[ray moore]

I am looking to buy an air compressor and have some basic questions on what features and options I should evaluate. My main goal is to attempt to paint a car ( my wife's ) and also use it for air tools ( socket wrench, grinders etc). I am going to shoot the subframe and under body of my Camaro first and then move up to try and paint my wife's car. My budget is around $500-700 for the compressor and then try to find a good low price spray gun. I have looked at compressors locally ( Tractor Supply, Lowe's, Home depot, Sears and have some questions)

Dryer:

I have seen that you need to put a moisture trap or dryer in line when painting, What am I looking for and where to buy?

Compressor questions,

1. Average tank size is between 60 and 80, I know bigger is usually
better but is this a critical buying point.

2. How much CFM should I be looking for at 90 pounds that will be enough
for what I want to do.

3. Single stage or two stage motor, critical buying point?

4. It seems a big price difference depends if the Maximum PSI is 135 or
175. A big deal or not?

5. Most seem to be rated for Continuous duty, I'm assuming that is what I
want.

6. Any other things I should be looking for when comparing compressors.

7. The Tractor Supply carries Ingersoll Rand , is this a good brand ?
Does anyone have compressors that they bought from Tractor Supply,
Sears, Home Depot or Lowe's that they like.

8. Spray Gun question. Good lower price Gun ( around $200-300 )
What brand? What Model?

Thanks
Ray Moore

[wyoming T/A]

bigger tank [80] isbetter. 14 or 15 cfm would plenty good enough

[ray moore]

Here is a link to one I was checking out at Tractor Supply


http://www.mytscstore.com/detail.asp...45312&x=12&y=9

[CDJr]

That is a good compressor with very good specs, ray. If ever there was a situation that the old adage "bigger is better" applied to, itd apply to compressor output. The reason you want as much CFM as possible is because a compressor that is pushed to its limits, even if it does keep up, will also create moisture problems, as the more it runs, the more moisture problems arise. Not to mention a shorter lifespan. So you would have fewer moisture problems with one that produces 20 CFM than you would with one producing 12 CFM, using the same air tools, if that makes any sense. And when it comes to painting, moisture is the primary enemy.

[clwilcox33]

Ingersol Rand is a very good brand.

[zdld17]

I like the larger tanks, 60 and up . I prefer two stage and cast iron bodies. Water traps etc and 220 volts. Pulls about 50% less amps. Perferrable with a starter capacitor. . You can also hook this aside the breaker that your welder is on. Try for a low rpm driver and large bull wheel on the compressor. Hook up pressure unloader also. I have seen some good ones at Harbor Frieght, tall space saving models. The 60 and larger horzontial fit well under a bench . Need to determine where you will put it as noise from this thing will be an issue. Need to have a good intake filter / silencer.

I/R is a good brand. Be sure what ever you have , has a tap for bottom water drain.

[JimM]

when it's time to paint, get a bunch of those plastic tennis ball filters. They attach at the gun, I think they're filled with toilet paper or something. Throw it away and put a new one on after every 30-45 minutes of spraying. Not a molecule of water will get thru it.

Also be sure to use an "at the gun" pressure guage. Guage first, then the tennis ball, pressure drops, you need a new tennis ball.

[CDJr]

Pardon my ignorance here, but what the heck is a tennis ball filter?

[HarleyD67]

Originally Posted by ray moore

Here is a link to one I was checking out at Tractor Supply


http://www.mytscstore.com/detail.asp...45312&x=12&y=9

Very good choice in compressor.
Very good cfm rating
Cast iron pump
240V (110V wont cut it)
80gal tank (bigger is better in this case)
Good brand

[ray moore]

Thanks for all the feedback, Besides the one I picked from Tractor Supply not being a 2 stage everything else sounds like a good choice. They do offer another that's one stage up that is 2 stage, I'm just not sure if the differences are worth $250 more. Also like CDJr say's, What's a tennis ball filter and where do you get one. Anyone have a choice of Paint guns?

http://www.mytscstore.com/detail.asp...productID=1270


Thanks
Ray

[dsherw00d]

I think it's a desiccant filter to remove some water. Has anyone every used anything like the below? I'm going to need somehting soon and have been looking around. Do the snakes work any better than the well known tennis ball?

http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/dev130502.html

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DEVIL...QQcmdZViewItem

http://www2.northerntool.com/product..._200319833.htm

-Dan

[JimM]

Originally Posted by CDJr

Pardon my ignorance here, but what the heck is a tennis ball filter?

I am not finding a pic of one on the net...

The first ones I bought came from my paint supplier. I asked him the best thing to get the water out of my air, he recommended a $100 air separator...and didn't have it in stock. I asked what he had and he handed me a blister pack with 2 things that looked like tennis balls.

They had a male pipe fitting on one side, female on the other. The label said they were disposable, so I don't think they were desicant, you can dry those out and reuse em. The paint store ones were orange, I later bought more at Napa, they were blue.

The damned thing flat work tho, and they cheap.

I got a smallish compressor, and it runs nonstop. Even with 2 water separators at the compressor, enough water comes thru the hose to freeze up my die grinder. With the tennis ball, ZERO condensation comes thru.

[Mike68RS]

I think these are what you're talking about Jim.

http://www.hechinger.com/hardware/to...er-mp3278.html

Mike

[JimM]

yup, dem's da ones I got at napa.
The paint store ones were same same but a different brand and color.

[69-Z11Pacer]

Ray,

I own that EXACT compressor. I also bought mine at tractor supply. It's awesome, not overly loud, and can keep up with just about anything I throw at it. I've even had two hoses hooked to it with 2 sanders going, and no problems.

I give it a 9+++ out of 10.

Originally Posted by ray moore

Here is a link to one I was checking out at Tractor Supply


http://www.mytscstore.com/detail.asp...45312&x=12&y=9